Open Thread because… just in case.

It’s yours, oh Horde o’ mine.

Standard FYI clause: I generally wait about 2 hours after Ta-Nehisi would typically open a thread (roughly noon, EST, back when such a thing was typical…!), and if none is forthcoming, I put one up here.

I feel like I’ve been disinvited from the dinner party with the new Disqus, so I have to ask this here: does anyone who complains that the quest model is too much the same (kill X of N, collect Y ears, ad nauseum) actually have any better suggestions? It seems to me I hear a lot of complaining about the design without much discussion of how it could be better or what would be an improvement. But I don’t read as deeply across gamer media as I might and perhaps I’ve missed a thoughtful discussion of alternatives.

I’ve really been enjoying Pandaria — it seems better written (scripted and paced) than any of the previous releases, and for all that people complain it’s too kiddified (Pokemon! Farmville!) the quests are grappling with some grown-up issues. There’ve been a couple of moments that actually brought me to tears (eg, the Silentstrikes). And my husband, the guy who quit WoW in a snit sometime during Burning Crusade, is back and having more fun than ever. He powerleveled a death knight so he’d have a character to quest through Pandaria with my main. We’re leveling a pair of monks together. I haven’t seen him this excited about a game since original WoW.

I actually really like the alternative structure Guild Wars 2 presents, which is not *entirely* dissimilar (there still are some “kill 10 rats” kind of moments for sure) but which is, I feel, presented in a more… holistic, perhaps, kind of way and better integrated with alternate kinds of gameplay and direction.

I’m now making my way through low-level Alliance content and not terribly impressed with what I’m encountering. Part of that’s me; I’ve never been terribly invested in WoW so I’m easily jaded and sidetracked. But it’s not a particularly welcoming world for a new player to explore, and I don’t just mean in terms of kill-on-sight mobs. Quests have taken me through the zone I’m in in a manner that’s most clearly “out of order,” and if I’m going to have that heavy a linearity I’d much rather also get guided through it in sequence, with fewer opportunities to fall off the path and get lost. It’s both got too much hand-holding in some dimensions, and not nearly enough direction or guidance in others.

If by “low level” you mean the 1-60 content, then yeah it’s linear and that’s leftover from the Cataclysm revision. The Blizzard developers acknowledged that they were too heavy-handed and the new content (85-90) is much better. Not sure how you got out of order — the complaint most people had was there was no way to skip around!

I can see how it wouldn’t necessarily be a welcoming world to a new player. I loved the revised Westfall (for example) but then I played through the old version of Westfall and knew the NPCs and plots from that, so when I took an alt to the new version I was seeing the next chapter of a story I knew rather than jumping into the middle.

JHarper2

aaron singer

Hello from London! I bought a waxed cotton field coat! I have had “The Full English”, fish and chips, various pub pies, minted peas, and other local delicacies! I will browbeat anyone who has bad things to say about English cuisine. Off to Paris tomorrow morning ont the Eurostar.

And, I am unreasonably proud of this, mine was the last word, and it was about how fully I support the President and how disappointed I am about his Israel/Palestine policies. Talking about the Middle East and mentioning the Palestinians as actual characters in the play? Watch out!

BJonthegrid

I am being forced to keep my house in top shape and clean every day when i get home from work and then when i wake up in order to accommodate the MIL during the bathroom reno.
It’s exhausting.

The good news is, I think I might be winning the paint chip war. No “dolphin grey” for me (and let me tell you,it was uuuuuuuggh-lee!) After a long consultation at Home Depot at the Behr paint chip wall my first instinct choice is one of the two finalists once the tile is delivered this afternoon for color swatching.

Lagavulin 16 isn’t precisely out of line for its age (Springbank 15, Old Pultney 17, Glenfarclas 17, and all the Balvenie 17s are even more expensive), but it’s not exactly a great deal either unless you can find it down in the $65-75 range. The 12 year old Lagavulin is just absurd though. They’ve been putting it out for nearly a decade now. It’s time to stop calling it a ‘special edition’. A regular release 12 YO cask strength whisky shouldn’t be $100.

David L

I think my post in the Facebook group has kicked off enough discussion that I’m going to sit back here and be quiet except to say that I think my health might slowly be improving but sometimes I think I might not be, which is worrying.

Bookwoman

Not being on FB I don’t know the details, nor what people have told you, but I will say to go with your gut – you know your body better than anyone else does. If you don’t feel well, go back to the doctor.

David L

FB thing was a completely different topic. (All about how I find it weird that people sort of subsume their individual identity once they get into a relationship.)

I’ve got a follow up with the doc two weeks from today, which I suppose is a sign of how long they expect the recovery to take. And it’s not that I’m feeling like I’m getting worse, it’s just that I’m not feeling like I’m making as much progress as I’d like.

The ‘old enough’ thing was part of it, she thinks that compared to them, she’s fine; but she conveniently leaves out the part where she doesn’t remember what the dishwasher does.

I’m more immediately concerned with ‘I hate the food’ – one item in one meal, Mom, try eating something else? – and ‘they told me I had to do this’, there were 3 activities listed for each time period and the director told me everyone gets to pick what they do, so I’m going to call over there and make sure they tell her, these are your 3 choices which one do you want? She may still claim she had no choice, but at least I’ll know better.

efgoldman

I’m more immediately concerned with ‘I hate the food’
That was my mother’s constant complaint, while she was in the independent living=>assisted living=>nursing care spiral. That and the “gossipy old ladies who wouldn’t mind their own goddamned business” (hello, mirror).

BJonthegrid

I’m thinking of buying one of those enamel polishing kits with the ultraviolet light. They say the polish stays on a long time but I also hear that the process is daunting. I’d really like to be more girlie without spending a ton or making appts. (I know it’s random, but it’s all I got)

taylor16

I’m not very girlie, but I always keep my nails polished because it keeps me from picking at them and peeling them. I buy the 99-cent bottles of nail polish from CVS, though. Like you, I don’t want to spent money … and I personally *despise* going to salons of any kind.

koolaide

taylor16

No, I didn’t … because I got sick. :(:( Headache last night, now cold today. Woe is me.

But I caught the end of it on TV and yes, it was really exciting! I’m hoping that they will somehow pull it out in Connecticut (though doubtful since it seems like they are outmatched) and then I can go to the finals. But we’ll see…

caoil

Making plum jam on Saturday, and then off to a wedding. Have to go buy something to wear to the wedding (lunch hour today, hopefully). Have to buy a bunch of fabric to work on my hobbit costumes (less than two months to get them finished, ahhhhhh halp). Have to start working on sewing catnip mice for the craft fair next month (fundraiser for the cat shelter). Plus other projects. In other words, running out of time! 😮 *panics*

I *am* enjoying The Mindy Project. I think Emily linked to something this weekend that said they’ve agreed to a season 2? Was that right? I watched the premiere of 666 Park Avenue and thought it had potential, but then had to miss ep 2 last night while we watched ‘Melancholia’.

Bookwoman

caoil

This was a repeat viewing for me. I watched it back in early September when my g/f was away. I liked it, with a couple of exceptions in Part Two that rang a little strangely to me (had a long convo with Sara about this on FB). A trailer came up for it with some other movie we were watching, and g/f expressed interest, so I got it again from the library. Short story of this long tale is, she didn’t like it. Not because of the performances or anything, she just felt it was long and kind of draggy.

taylor16

I am also enjoying the Mindy Project, basically because I really think Mindy Kaling is pretty hilarious. (I am not an Office watcher, so this is my first exposure to her).

However, I sort of agree with Alyssa Rosenberg that I’m not sure how much I will like it in the long run if they don’t make her character more likeable and less frivolous and silly. I really have a problem watching TV shows where I don’t like/identify with the main characters, so that could be a problem (for me). We’ll see:

baiskeli

caoil

Thanks for that – I agree to some extent with her (and you). I guess I’m still being optimistic that she can take what seems flimsy or unrealistic (how did she get through med school if she’s this easily distracted?) and maybe put an explanatory spin on it that works, while also letting/forcing her to grow up a bit.

BJonthegrid

taylor16

I’m heading back to Michigan this weekend for my parents’ anniversary party, and am hoping to squeeze in some time to go pick up some cider, apples, and donuts from one of the local orchards up there. Since, sadly, there are really none down by us in Hoosier land…

caoil

Strong odds that I will spend a good chunk of the weekend working in the lab because the PNW rain is finally coming. While I’ve really enjoyed the sun and (relatively) cool weather this summer, we really do need some rain. The trail I went hiking on Sunday looked like baked clay.

taylor16

Totally random question – I’ve told you that my husband reads your blog, right? He was asking the other day whether (since I “know” you) I thought you’d want to consult with him on his next seasonal bar menu. (With him giving you full credit and probably posting your blog URL on the menu and elsewhere, of course).

Long story short: the chefs at his place come up with a new seasonal menu every 3 months or so. He is expected to come up with a full slate of new, creative cocktails every time they put out a new menu. He has full creative reign as far as what ingredients to use, liquors to order, recipes to make, etc. The restaurant has a “local, fresh ingredients” focus to it, so he tries to follow that pattern with his drinks (using fresh herbs, making his own infused liquors, etc.) – but really, he can do anything he wants for the menu. Which is good and bad. As he put it the other day (paraphrasing): “I’ve been creating new drinks every season for four years and am kind of getting burnt out. I need new ideas.” Unfortunately, he doesn’t know anyone else he can collaborate with around here anymore, so he was thinking outside the box. And wondered if you’d be interested in collaborating on a bar menu.

His bar’s far away from you of course, so it’s not like you could easily drop in for a drink or a meeting … but the customer base is really into creative and classic cocktails. You could do some interesting stuff and I’m sure it would sell, and possibly get your name and blog out there as well.

So, would you be interested? If so, I’ll hit you up on FB or have him email you.

taylor16

socioprof

We’re taking the boys to the haunted zoo Friday night, Haunted zombie-tram rides, costumed children, nocturnal creatures, and a dance party will be one of the highlights of our year. It’s sooooooo much fun.

doginajacket

Bookwoman

I started rewatching a very old TV show: thirtysomething. When my husband and I watched it the first time, we were about the same age as the characters, and at exactly the same stage of life (I was pregnant with my first). Very strange to see it all again, 25 years later. The show still holds up well, except for the ’80s hair, mom jeans, and massive shoulder pads.

Bookwoman

Hmmm. While there are aspects of the show you could certainly level that charge against, for the most part I found it very honest about what life is like when the kids arrive and your marriage begins to change as a result. For the most part the women are portrayed as the grounded ones, while a couple of the men are pretty adolescent.

There are some incredibly realistic argument scenes between the husbands and wives – the best I’ve ever seen. Not to mention a frank story arc about ovarian cancer. And the first ever two-gay-men-in-bed-having-obviously-spent-the-night-together scene, which was groundbreaking for the time.

I’d be interested to know Faludi’s take on it.

Neocortex

It has been more than half a decade since I last read Backlash, but as near as I can recall, she said that:

– The show was egregious in its treatment of the idea of working mothers, even dedicating an episode to pushing the message that women with young kids should not work (I remember that she quoted the writing and production staff extensively on this; it wasn’t just her take).

– Single women were portrayed as either miserable, pitiable, man-hungry messes, or (if they had solid careers) uncaring, irritating, overstressed, humorless-feminist stereotypes (she cites the charaters of Melissa, Ellyn, and Susannah – yes, I had to look that up, my memory isn’t that good :)).

– The “good mother” character hope had little ambition of her own or identity apart from her husband and child, and spouted all the right led-wrong-by-feminism lines.

I managed to find some bits on Google Books to jog my memory. She accuses the show of spouting progressive-sounding but hollow dialogue at the same time as it regurgitates ’80s antifeminist trend stories about women and the failures of feminism.

Bookwoman

Thanks. I disagree with a lot of this, but I won’t argue with you, since you’re not Faludi! 🙂 All I can say is that while the show certainly has its annoyances (Mel Harris, who plays Hope, can’t act her way out of a paper bag), much of it rings very true. It’s of its time and place (like Girls, it takes place in a very white, upper-middle-class milieu), but compared to most things that were on TV at the time, it felt like a revelation.

watson42

I’m with you there. If I hear/read/see one more headline about how Obama has already lost the election, or my current favorite about how Obama just doesn’t “act presidential” (tell me that isn’t racially coded), I am going to take my forging hammer and start breaking things.

On to more fun things:

I got the flu or some such which SUCKS because I got an email about a potential job that I really, really want but my brain isn’t working enough to apply for it coherently. I see tea and honey and meds in my future for this evening. Keep your fingers crossed for me, Horde!

Went apple picking last weekend so there is pie in my near future. There might be apple crisp in the more immediate future – there’s no way I’m wrestling with pie crust when I’m not feeling well.

The plan for the weekend is to get caught up on cleaning the house and some sculpture projects.

taylor16

I cleaned out my study the other day. I kind of want to blame that for how crappy I currently feel (allergies from all of the dust!) … but I think I have to own up to the fact that the germs have finally caught up to me. Sigh…

efgoldman

baiskeli

I’m currently sick (boo!), but here is some random stuff (non political, because right now Politics makes me wanna Hulk Smash!)

I think the animals have it in for me. Exhibit A,B and C

I went for my first ride in almost 10 days on sunday. Slow and easy, nothing much happened, except a freaking chipmunk (I think) fell out of a tree, grazed my shoulder and landed with a dramatic Plop! on the bike path, and then scurried off un-harmed. Stuka chipmunk.

A few weeks ago I was riding home, stopped in traffic downtown Boston and a seagull pooped on me (the driver next to me was both amused and horrified). Thankfully, it went all over my jersey rather than my head (and then, a few minutes later the skies opened up and it begun raining).

About 4 years ago a seagull pooped on me while I was eating vanilla ice cream, and I spent a few seconds wondering how I managed to spill ice-cream on my pants before I realized it was bird poop.

On the non Animal Assassination League front

Last weekend, we went to the HONK Festival in Davis Square Somerville for a couple of hours, and I took this photo. Lots of really talented marching bands, good music, good energy.

I’m planning on a quiet weekend. If I’m feeling better I might risk a longer slow ride, but if not, it’s taking it easy and reading.

taylor16

And chipmunks are sneaky. Two of them live under our deck and/or around our house, and the dog just looooooves to torment them. She has, multiple times, scared them so badly that they run up the drainpipe on the house and get stuck inside. So our choice at that point becomes (1) listen to it struggle and cry for several days until it dies, or (2) pull out the screwdriver and unscrew the drainpipe so it can escape. Then cycle, rinse, repeat a few weeks later. (We don’t want to put mesh over the end of the pipe because then the dog will catch the chipmunk, and I don’t like when my dogs morph into killers and I have to deal with mortally wounded animals 😦 ).

I always thought chipmunks were adorable…and then one decided the air filtration system of my Nissan Altima was a great place for a nest. Chewed holes through much of the car’s systems, including the power steering lines. $1500 later, I don’t like chipmunks.

baiskeli

baiskeli

Yes they do. it surprises me how even in urban areas you have so many animals. We have a hare that eats the neighbors carrots. Since our neighbors are jerks of the highest order, I love that hare.

We also have a skunk who lives under another neighbors back porch. The skunk has walked right past me late at night when I’ve been out with the telescope in the back yard. I guess as long as it doesn’t see me as a threat its cool.

taylor16

Last spring I saw both dogs out in the yard, wagging their tails and scratching at the fence like they had seen another dog in the neighbor’s yard and wanted to play. Neighbors don’t have a dog or cat, so I went out to investigate … and found my dogs happily sniffing noses and bouncing around with a very friendly baby possum in the yard next door.

Yuuuuuuuuuck. That was not an animal friendship I wanted to encourage. Luckily, I haven’t seen it again.

One time when my family went on vacation, we decided to just leave the cats’ food bowls out on the back porch so that it would be easy for one of the neighbors to feed them. After we got back from vacation, my parents were woken up one night by scratching noises. When my dad went to investigate, there was an opossum in the house which proved pretty tricky to chase out. The next morning they saw muddy opossum footprints going from an upstairs window down to the kitchen where the cat food bowls were normally kept. Turns out that the opossum had gotten a taste for cat food while it had been outside and managed to figure out how it could get to it inside. We then made sure that all of the screens had been put up. A few evenings later, I was in my room when I noticed a small opossum face peeking around the edge of my bedroom window, hoping to find another route inside.

efgoldman

Can we borrow the pup? He can kill all the chipmunks he can catch i our yard. Little bastards get into the roller feeder and get stuck. Then a squirrel rolls the feeder, and the ‘munk gets its back broken (and has to be removed manually) or its alive, but looks dead, and when mrs efgoldman goes to take it out, it leaps! And you can hear her scream all the way to Providence.

‘Copper’ gave a shout-out to ‘Homicide’ this week. Hee. And a friend of mine suggested to the Copper producers that Richard Belzer should be on the show, playing an ancestor of Det. Munch. Apparently Belzer found out about it and is campaigning for it.

‘Person of Interest’ started strong out of the gate and added a new, apparently to-be-regular character. He’s big, handsome, brown and has a military background; he’s fond of bearer bonds, first edition Asimov novels and sturdy work desks. Unfortunately, he only speaks Dutch. Looking forward to him being on the team.

efgoldman

koolaide

The baked cereal product recipe I mentioned in yesterday’s OT at anibundel’s place did not turn out as well as I’d hoped. There was too much liquid, I think. And I probably should have used a baking dish that was more shallow but longer than the one I used. I’m kinda disappointed 😦

How wrong is it to just ask the people at the place where I’ve had super tasty baked oatmeal for their recipe? I mean, the point of my making it at home is so I don’t have to buy their product.

watson42

Hm….asking for recipes is always a tough one. I suppose it’s not cool but once or twice I couldn’t help myself. I did manage once to get the recipe for the creme brulee from my favorite French restaurant in SF. But I had been a long-standing regular, and creme brulee takes to much effort to make often…. One time my mother and the owner/chef of a restaurant in the Oakland went on for 20 minutes comparing their recipes and methods for a couple of dishes. For the next couple of years, every time I went in he asked me when my mother was next coming to visit from the East Coast….

watson42

watson42

Hey! I said I was sick, so no holding me responsible for typos. Plus I’m sitting here logging means and medians of patient demographics for clinical trials. [I wish I could come up with a clever bad joke referencing oatmeal and box plots, but I’ve got nothin’.]

efgoldman

mrs efgoldman occasionally makes some kind of cake with an oatmeal and I think brown sugar topping.
I think its something she originally found in the Betty Cooker Crockbook, and modifies (which usually means making more topping than the recipe calls for, and adding xtra brown sugar.

Just a reminder cats and kittens, ‘Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog’ makes its television debut this evening, 9pm ET on the CW. If you haven’t seen it, here’s a chance to see one of the oddest things you’ll ever see on network television. And laugh.